


Through the motions.

by Trixx616



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Blood and Injury, Drama, F/F, Major Character Injury, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:53:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25553122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trixx616/pseuds/Trixx616
Summary: Salem was defeated almost a year ago... but the Grimm never stopped coming, most of Team RWBY kept the fight up in a different way. Ruby Rose is now the headmaster of the renewed Beacon Academy, Weiss Schnee controls the reformed SDC, all efforts now focused on eradicating the Grimm for good. Blake Belladonna is presumed dead, she was nowhere to be seen when the battle had ended.  Yang Xiao Long however kept fighting the same way she did growing up, tooth and nail. The events of the battle haunting her and stopping her from truly moving on.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 10
Kudos: 64





	1. Prologue

A full glass of whiskey joined the empty one in front of Yang and she grabbed it in her prosthetic hand, her metal fingertips clinking faintly against the glass. A warm breeze blew through the door as it opened carrying in some of the Vacuan sand from outside. Two hooded men entered and walked up to the bar, keeping their distance from Yang. They ordered and talked quietly among themselves. Until, one of them turned to face her and pulled their hood down, a pair of brunette cat ears perking up as he did. Yang caught a glimpse of them in her peripherals and grit her teeth, the gears in her prosthetic whirring slightly as her grip tightened on the glass in her hand.

"That your bike outside?" He asked in a rough voice, she couldn't tell if it was always that way, or the hot winds of Vacuo had just dried out the man's throat. Yang's gaze stayed down at the bar and she took a sip of her whiskey.

"Don't even look at it." She said firmly, the man looked over his shoulder and scoffed.

"You're a long way from Atlas blondie." The second man practically hissed as he stood away from the bar. Yang downed the glass in her hands and looked over at the bartender.

"They won't need those drinks." Yang said to the bartender as she took a deep breath and turned to the two men who drew knives from their coats. The faunus charged forward, Yang stepped back as the knife sliced through the air in front of her neck. She then stepped forward, putting all of her weight on her front foot as she slammed her hand fist into the man's face, firing Ember Celica as her punch connected. The Faunus' amber aura flickered as he flew backwards and out the door into the desert.

"Three..." She stared at the other man who stood tensed, staring back.

"Two..." His hand started to tremble as his knuckles turned white around the handle of his knife.

"One..." She took a step forward and the man bolted out of the bar, lifting his friend to his feet as the two sprinted away. Yang rolled her shoulders and then turned back to the bar, grabbing her glass and finishing her drink. She pulled her wallet out and tossed some lien onto the bar.

"Keep the change." Yang waved back as she walked out, putting on a pair of aviator sunglasses as she climbed onto her yellow and gold painted Altesian hoverbike, making her way toward the border of Vale.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yang sat down hard on the bed, the ocean causing the whole room to feel like it was swaying. She looked down at the ticket stub for her trip to Kuo Kuana in her hand. She never stopped fighting the war that she had joined when she was young, but she could make time for Blake... or, Blake's parents. Blake's birthday was almost here and she had spoken with Kali about spending it with her and Ghira. Yang closed her eyes and sighed, setting the ticket on her nightstand as her mind began wandering through her memories.

_ "No!" Yang shouted, her voice hoarse. She watched as the platform Blake and Raven were standing on was struck by a tentacle of the gargantuan Kraken Grimm they were fighting. Blake and Raven flew upward, a second tentacle slamming downward into them and they both plummeted into the rock below. Her feet were carrying her toward the cloud of dust before she could even think. The tentacle swung again, sweeping across the ground and shattering stalactites as it came straight for her. She fired Ember Celica into the ground and tucked her arms in as she launched into the air and spun over the attack. Landing with a roll onto her shoulder and quickly back onto her feet. Red light lit up the cloud of dust just before it cleared enough for Yang to see. She slid on her knees and stopped next to Raven... Just Raven. _

_ "Mom?" She choked out as tears welled in her eyes, a large shard of rock was protruding from a bleeding wound in Raven's abdomen. Yang looked around again, she couldn't see Blake anywhere. Yang tried to stem the bleeding and Raven looked up at her, coughing and groaning loudly. _

_ "I'm... so proud of you Yang..." Her hand came up and weakly brushed the tear carving a trail through the dirt on Yang's face. _

_ "Jaune!!!" Yang shouted again, as she looked around the battlefield before looking back down at Raven. _

_ "Please don't, don't go... Jaune!" he arrived in an instant and looked down in shock. _

_ "Save her... please..." Yang pleaded as her stomach turned. Jaune put his hand on Yang's shoulder as Raven shook her head. _

_ "Go..." Raven said as she smiled faintly before life left her eyes. _

_ "Ruby needs our help Yang." Jaune steadied himself and a burst of gravity Dust shot from his shield, deflecting a sweeping tentacle over him and Yang. A red glow overtook Raven's body for a moment before washing over Yang. She took in a deep breath as the maiden powers overtook her body, she pulled herself to her feet and turned to face the Kraken. _

Yang shook her head and came back to the present, she wiped her hand down her face and then rubbed the exhaustion from her eyes. Those powers would be useful now... if anything could help eradicate the Grimm for good it'd be magic but, the second Salem was gone, so were the powers. Yang shrugged off her jacket and tossed it onto the floor. She laid back and closed her eyes trying her best to sleep.


	2. Remembrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang finally lets herself feel the pain of loss when she arrives at Kali and Ghira's home in Menagerie. The three then have a tough conversation and Yang says something aloud for the first time.

Yang knocked on the door of the Belladonna manor and took in a deep breath, adjusting the duffel bag on her back. She had never met Blake's parents in person, just video calls on Blake's scroll once the CCT Arena was launched.

_ "Hey mom, dad! This is my... Partner, Yang." Blake said happily as she glanced over at Yang, she was sat next to the faunus, her arm laying over the back of Blake's chair as the two leaned in close to both be in frame of the scroll's camera. Ghira poked his head into the frame and waved. _

_ "Hello dear, good to meet you Yang." He said before retreating back out of view. _

_ "Your father is working, don't mind him. It's good to meet you Yang." Kali replies happily, her ears twitching instinctively. _

Yang was brought out of her day dream as the door swung open. Kali smiled softly and Yang swallowed nervously.

"Uhm... hi, Mrs. Belladonna, I'm Yang." Yang extended her hand out to shake Kali's but Kali instead hugged the blonde tightly, sighing quietly.

"It's good to actually meet you... i'm glad you're here." Kali stepped back and exhaled sharply, her eyes glistening from the held back tears.

"Please, come in." Kali moved to the side and gestured in, Yang entered and the door was closed behind her. Yang took in her surroundings, her throat tightening as she saw a picture of Blake with her parents sitting atop the table in the entryway. Kali placed her hand on Yang's lower back and smiled up at the blonde.

"I'll show you to your room." Kali led Yang up the stairs, as they made their way through a hallway Yang caught a glimpse of a room to her left, the door sat slightly ajar, and her gaze peered straight through a window, with a large tree outside of it. She stopped and kept looking, a small bookcase sat in front of the window.

"Oh... that is...  _ was  _ Blake's room. Did you... want to see?" Kali asked as she slowly opened the door.

"Mrs. Belladonna I... I'm sorry..." Kali shook her head as they both walked into the room. It appeared as if Kali and Ghira hadn't changed a thing.

"I'll give you a moment Yang, your room is the next one down the hall. I can take your bag." Kali said quietly, Yang looked over at Kali, her eyes stinging as tears threatened to form.

"I... just a moment please." Yang clutched at the strap on her bag and Kali nodded, heading outside and closing the door to where it was before so it was still hanging slightly ajar and she waited in the hallway for Yang. She walked over to Blake's bed and dropped to her knees in front of it. Yang hadn't cried since  _ that _ day, she never let herself, all the sadness was always pushed away with anger. Yang took off her bag and unzipped it, pulling Gambol Shroud out, her hand trembling as she clutched the handle. She laid it out on the center of Blake's bed, opening her mouth to say something but she couldn't find any words. She zipped her bag up and stood to her feet, pulling the bag back over her shoulder as she looked down at the sword. Yang couldn't hold it back anymore, being here, leaving the sword, the bag dropped back down to the floor and Yang clenched her fists, her eyes squeezing shut as tears streamed down her cheeks. It wasn't long before she fell back down on her knees, laid her face down on Blake's bed and grabbed fistfuls of the blanket as a loud sob left her lips.

_ "We're going to be gone for the next few weeks, I just wanted to talk to you and Dad before we left. Tell you guys I love you." Kali smiled and tilted her head. _

_ "We love you too dear, please, please be safe..." Kali said trying her best not to sound worried. Yang smiled wide. _

_ "Don't worry Mrs. Belladonna, I'll get her home safe, I promise." Yang said confidently as she gave a thumbs up. _

The door opened and Kali walked slowly up next to Yang and knelt down next to her, rubbing her back slowly. Yang choked back another sob and took in a deep shaky breath as she sat back onto her feet and turned to Kali.

"I... I'm so sorry." Yang's voice quivered as she spoke, unable to look Kali in the eyes.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for Yang." Kali reassured her and stood up, helping Yang up to her feet. Yang sniffled and calmed herself down. Kali lead her to the room she'd be staying in.

"Come down stairs when you're ready Yang, I'll make us some tea. Ghira will be home later tonight." Yang forced a smile and nodded as Kali left, shutting the door.

Later that night Yang, Kali, and Ghira sat in the living room. Kali and Ghira in chairs next to each other and Yang on the couch. They had asked Yang to tell them what had happened. Yang clutched a cup of tea in her hands, the smell reminded her of Blake... it must've been the same tea that she often made when Team RWBY was still together.

"I tried to find her... After we'd won... But she was just... Gone." Yang explained as she turned the mug in her hand, watching the tea swirl as she did. Ghira grit his teeth and looked down at his lap, Kali wiped tears from her cheeks.

"I found her sword, where her and my mom went down, we... We covered the whole area and there was nothing else..." Yang took a sip from the mug, her hands trembled a bit.

"I wish I would've stayed longer, kept looking, but the pits just kept making Grimm and they didn't show any sign of stopping." She takes a deep breath, and Ghira clears his throat.

"Thank you Yang, for telling us. Please... Don't blame yourself." Yang could tell he was holding back tears, his voice was restricted and he wouldn't look at her.

"I loved her..." Yang admits quietly, Kali's ears perked up a bit and she looked at Yang surprised.

"Yang dear... Do you mean..." Yang nods, and tears welled in her eyes again as she looked out the window, and at the reflection of the shattered moon on the sea.

"I loved her and I never got a chance to tell her... I always told myself there'd be time, that I'd tell her when it was over." Yang gripped the mug tighter and choked back a sob. Ghira rubbed his forehead and leaned forward.

"I see now why coming here and spending her birthday with us was so important to you." Ghira said in his normal gruff voice, his gaze fixed on the ground. Kali moved and sat next to Yang on the couch and rubbed her back.

"I... I can't speak for how Blake felt dear, but I do know that she spoke very highly of you, and very often too." Yang set down her tea and then used her prosthetic to rub the bridge of her nose. Yang wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words. Her and Blake's parents sat in silence for a little while longer and then Kali stood up.

"I'll make us some dinner." Kali left the room and Ghira looked up at Yang. Their gazes met each other and Yang felt like she was being judged almost instantly. Ghira squinted for a moment and then leaned back in his chair. Yang clasped her hands together and tensed up as she forced herself to stop tearing up.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm so proud of you Ruby." Taiyang said with a smile as he propped his scroll against a vase on the counter so Ruby could still see him as he cooked. Ruby smiled back, though Tai could sense that she was nervous.

"I just remember the speech Oz gave on  _ my  _ first day at beacon was so... perfect." Ruby chuckled.

"I hope these new students feel the same way." Tai nodded and lifted the cutting board up, pushing the diced onions into the pan.

"Ozpin did have a way with words, but you have a way of inspiring people Ruby. I know you'll do great." Ruby looked away from the camera for a second and Tai could make out Glynda's voice in the background calling for 'Ms. Rose' to come speak with the students.

"I gotta go dad! Love you!" Before Tai could respond the call ended. He let out a chuckle and grabbed his scroll, putting it into his back pocket. A knock came on the front door and Zwei barked loudly. Tai shushed him as he made his way to the front door. He couldn't see anyone through the small window at the top of the door. He pulled the door open and his eyes widened in shock.

"Is Yang here?" The faunus asked with a quiver in her voice as her ears laid flat on top of her head.


	3. Unexpected visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake reveals what happened to her, and what had transpired while she was gone, and Yang is able to step back into her element.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long to upload, I had some bad writers block! I've got a pretty good idea of where I want this story to go though.

"Blake?" Taiyang asked quietly, his mouth hanging open in shock. Blake grabbed her elbow and looked down at her feet as her ears twitched nervously.

"How... Why... Blake?" He asked again. Blake looked back up, tears welling in her eyes.

"I can explain everything but please... Is Yang here?" She sniffled and brought her hand up to wipe her eyes. Tai stares stunned for a moment longer before shaking his head.

"No I... Uhm... Come in." He steps aside and Blake walks in. The door shuts behind her and she makes her way to the living room. She stands awkwardly by the coffee table and hugs herself, shivering nervously.

"I haven't seen Yang in a few months, she doesn't call me much either." Tai sighs and walks over to Blake, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"We thought you were dead..." He says quietly as he feels the faunus relax in his arms, hugging him back. After a long drawn out hug the pair steps away from each other.

"I'm making dinner if you want to join me in the kitchen." Tai smiles and Blake breathes a sigh of relief as she nods.

Tai and Blake were sat across from each other and Blake scarfed down about half of her meal almost as soon as it was put down in front of her. She blushed a bit and cleared her throat.

"Run me through what happened Blake." Tai says as he sips from his glass of water and then clasps his hands on the table. Blake shut her eyes and took a deep breath as she remembered the day of the battle.

_ Blake tried to sit up, a piercing pain shot through her body and she groaned loudly. She turned to the side and her eyes widened, her heart pounded in her chest, and her breathing became erratic. Raven Branwen coughed hard and clutched at the large shard of stone protruding from her stomach. Blake looked down at herself, a large gash running down the outside of her thigh. Blake's right eye closed as blood from a wound on her forehead spilled over it. She reached her arm out for her sword and her vision went red. The searing pain returned as she tumbled across warm grass. Groaning loudly as she looked around. Tents surrounded her and beyond them a wall of wooden palisades. She heard footsteps approaching but couldn't find the strength to look toward them. _

_ "Hey, the boss sent a girl!" A gruff voice shouted just as Blake's vision closed in and faded to black as she lost consciousness. _

Tai rubbed his hand down his face and sat back, sighing heavily. Blake continued explaining.

"I didn't wake up for two weeks, and when I did it was still a few months before I could even walk around the camp." Blake's fingers ran down the side of her leg, feeling the scar through her pants.

"Raven never came back... I knew what that meant. I wanted to leave as soon as I could walk, to find Yang, to find everyone..." Tai looks down and takes a deep breath.

"Yang took it hard... not being able to find you, Qrow and I had to practically force her back onto the ships to come home." Blake's ears laid flat atop her head and she set down her fork, having thoroughly lost her appetite.

"If it helps Blake, I don't blame you for being gone for so long... it sounds like you didn't have a choice."

"I didn't." She said firmly as she looked back up at Tai.

"Can you... call Yang? I really need to talk to her." Tai takes a deep breath and pulls out his scroll, calling Yang, one ring, then another, and then the line goes dead. 

"Like I said, she doesn't talk to me much." Tai looks down at his lap and puts his scroll away. 

"Ruby is at Beacon, I can get you a ticket to Vale and you can talk to her. She might know where her sister is."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"But this life isn't like it is in the fairy tales..." Ruby looks down and exhales slowly.

"Sometimes you get hurt. Sometimes... not everyone makes it home, but you are all here because you're willing to fight for those that can't fight themselves." Some of the students nod in agreement.

"Anyways... welcome to Beacon Academy, get some rest, we've got a big day tomorrow." She nods and walks off the stage. Glynda  _ almost  _ smiles and she nods.

"Not a bad speech Ms. Rose." Ruby chuckles nervously. Her scroll buzzed in her pocket.

"Hey Dad! My speech went great." She says with a huge smile on her face as she answers.

"Ruby... I need you to come home right away, it's important." Ruby's smile melted away and she looked at Glynda.

"Glynda get the helicopter ready." Glynda nods and heads into the hallway to make the call.

"What is it Dad? Is everything okay?" She asked with a worried tone as she started heading up to her office to grab her things.

"Just... it'll be better for you to see it yourself." Ruby grabbed Crescent Rose and her cloak and ran to the helipad.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Grimm in the city sir!" a voice shouted from downstairs. Yang shot out of bed, she had slept in her clothes from the night before, she grabbed Ember Celica from the nightstand and pulled them on as she sprinted down to the entryway. Ghira was giving orders to the manor guards to head into Kuo Kuana and defend the citizens.

"I'll go too." Ghira turned to face Yang and shook his head.

"Absolutely not."

"It wasn't a question." Yang skirts past Ghira and follows the guards down to the city proper. A scream was heard and then the sound of splintering wood as a lizard faunus man was thrown through the wall of a shop in front of Yang and the guards. 

"Make sure he's alright! I've got the Grimm." Yang trudged through the newly opened hole in the wall and entered what looked to be a clothing store, gunfire and shouting filled the streets. Yang glanced out the window and saw more beowolf stalking between the buildings. She extended Ember Celica and slammed her fists together, her hair ignited in a brilliant flash of amber and she charged forward catching the beowolf by the jaws and pulling as hard as she could in opposite directions tearing the top half of it's head clean off. Two shots rang out as she launched herself out of the front door and into the street. Her right fist slammed down on one of the grimm and then an axe kick cracked the bone plating on its head. Yang was seeing red, it wasn't the buildings of Menagerie around her, but instead jagged rocks and pools of black. She roared as she charged at more Grimm, sliding down beneath the one in front of her, firing two shots and launching it into the air, a third shot lifting her up toward it. She caught the beowolf hind legs and swung it downward into the ground. 

"Wyvern! Everyone to me!" Shouted one of the guards, the rest of them began to lead the citizens toward the town hall to get them to a more defensible position. Yang launched herself up onto the roofs of the nearby buildings, running along them toward the dragon grimm. Another shot propelled her up onto a lamp post, she fired both barrels downward just as the Wyvern swooped downward toward her.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“B-Blake?” Ruby asked with a shaky voice as tears welled in her eyes and then she sped toward her, a burst of rose petals in her wake as she embraced Blake in a tight hug.

“I came as soon as I could Ruby.” She hugged the redhead back and took a deep breath. 

“I need to find Yang…” She said quietly as the two embraced. Ruby let her go and stepped back, sniffling as she wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.

“She’s… Yang’s in Menagerie… with your parents.” Blake’s heart sank and her eyes widened.

“Oh…  _ Oh…  _ It’s almost my birthday.” Blake said aloud at the realization. 


End file.
